Mental Mate
We are a mental health support group in Sheffield, that uses the power of boxing to help people talk about their mental illness.
About Mental Mate
Everyone should have someone to talk to. It sounds so simple, yet so many people don’t have that, which is where Mentalmate comes in! We are building a group of mental mates through boxing down at the Mentalmate Boxing Gym in the Wicker area of Sheffield 6 times per week. We have found that it is much easier to talk and discuss your feelings whilst exercising, if attendees do not wish to talk then that’s fine but it’s nice to know that you are surrounded by people who are all there for the same reason.
I started up Mentalmate following battles with my own mental health issues, one of my main coping mechanisms was boxing. Boxing allowed me to clear my head and relieve some stress and anxiety whilst also building up my physical fitness. In January 2020 I decided to start Mentalmate as I wondered how many other people felt the same as me. How many other people would enjoy getting together and doing some boxing and talking? Since then we have gone from strength to strength as a group and hopefully we will continue to grow.
It’s so important to look after your mental health like you would your physical health and at our Mentalmate boxing sessions you can do both! Sometimes people don’t feel able to talk with friends and family for the fear of being judged or treated differently, down at our sessions everyone is welcome, all sizes and abilities with no prior boxing experience needed, so come down and give it a go!
Daniel does an amazing job of balancing the huge range of attendees, raising both funds for the club and awareness of mental health. I can’t fault the level of dedication he has shown, nor the care he takes to keep an eye and check in on people. As important, the group is developing a culture of support within itself.”
